Miss Sister 2008 – a beauty contest for nuns??

The problem is that Vatican City never sends athletes to the olympics. I want to see a team of weightlifting nuns. Or Nuns curling at the winter games. That would shoot down some stereotypes. But no Beach Volleyball nuns…might as well just do the beauty contest.

I think women who dedicate themselves to helping others are extremely beautiful. Too bad the priest can’t see the beauty within each nun.

Been away from the blog for a while … ton of work… I like the new look. I was planning on sending you a link to the BBC article about this contest, but looks like I was “beaten to the punch.” Like they say “truth is stranger than fiction.” Hope that all is well and that you are still safely rolling … Best, always, David

Beautifully written – well done. Now send it to Rev. Rungi!

Wowsers. Just wow… and this is coming from a priest Did the bishop agree to it? Did he get approval? Physical beauty/attraction should have no place in the mindset of a servant/bride of Christ, nor those thinking on these brave devout souls. How much more fundamentally wrong can one person get?! Is he really a priest? The search for a “hot nun” usually comes from the sick minds of the porn industry, not from priests, that consecrate the hosts into the living flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is NOT a good thing, even though I’m sure Paris Hilton would call it “HOT”.

I read about this first thing this morning on your blog and within an hour a co-worker found it somewhere and told me and then a colleague mentioned it at lunch. There’s about 10 Sisters who minister on campus. We all thought it was inane. All the Sisters I’ve known are beautiful (especially my own community!) The irony of this is laughable except that it’s true! Eek.

Who does this priest think he’s fooling, this is for his own personal pleasure. Perhaps he should get on his knees and ask God if this contest is the right thing to do. The nuns that enter the contest are only showing how much they are dedicated to serving the Lord…NOT. Then again times are changing. I went to a Catholic school for many years and the nuns all looked the same but now they have changed their style of dress, went more modern…why?

I read about it in today’s Irish News – couldn’t believe it.

(after reading the Times Online article)… a calendar featuring handsome priests and seminarians…i cant believe it!!! what is happening to my Church?!?!?! this is so heartbreaking.

this just goes to show that we need to pray really hard for vocations, for REAL vocations, for REAL men and women who will uphold Christ’s values, and for church authorities who will be strict enough and smart enough to discipline and stop the harmful behavior of those who are not just terribly confused about their vocation but are also somehow destroying the Church from within.

and maybe a letter to his bishop or superior will be helpful.

i just hope that nobody enters his contest. what self-respecting nun will?

I agree with Fr. Rungi’s goal – at least his *stated* goal (and I phrase it that way on purpose). Stereotypes in general are bad, and anything we can do to break down those stereotypes is a good thing. And if this shows young women that they don’t automatically become old and sour and dour when they become nuns, then it just might open some minds to a vocation as a nun.

That said, his chosen method of breaking down the stereotype is simply the wrong way to go about it. It *does* reinforce the idea of judging women (not just nuns) by their physical beauty instead of celebrating their inner beauty and committment to God.

The one caveat that I would submit is that it would be good to remember that beauty and sexuality/sensuality have somewhat different definitions in Italy than they do here in America.

Oh, my goodness! That poor priest needs a reality check and perhaps he need to spend more time in caring for his “flock” He has way too much time on his hands. Your reply to this well worded and most appropriate.

Breaking news! The “pageant” was cancelled! WHO-HOO!

I am happy to learn that this priest has given up his wild idea of a Miss Sister Contest. I hope it has as well left his heart..or is he still carrying it. The Fr. should not claim to have been misunderstood.. he has simply never understood the beauty of religious life as it is lived by the Sisters. In any case it has shown the world what some of these priests we trust for their level of formation and responsibilities can in truth be so empty . What a learned Moralist Fr. Rungi had imagined and had planned to do must have shocked not only the holy founders of the religious congregations, his founder included, but even the devels. Did Fr. Rungi think of Mr. Fr. Italy 2009. Wow..how far can this go.

i’m very very happy and thankful to God that his superiors and bishop were not happy with the idea, and that he had to cancel it. i do feel sorry for fr. rungi because it always feels very awful when so many people criticize you and hurl hurtful words against you. but i pray that he may not see it as a personal attack but appreciate it as a sign that people around the world are still passionate about the Church, about the concept of nuns and priests being true servants of God, and how much these people would fight to preserve the Church’s values which are always rooted in Christ.

there are a million ways to show the world how genuine and wonderful it is to live as a bride of Christ, as a servant of the Lord…but i think the most effective way cannot be done by showcasing it or parading in front of the whole world to see…but instead by the seemingly “little” things priests and nuns do, things that arent known to the world but very well known to individuals whose lives they have touched — the way they have counseled people, the way they have uplifted their spirits, the way they struggle to be more faithful to each vow they have professed, the way they inspire people to be more obedient and closer to God by being living testimonies of His mercy, compassion, wisdom and love…there is no need to blow out horns and shout to the world what it is like to be a nun or a priest. good works shine on their own and sincerity is loudest in silence. i think it is enough that priests and nuns have created blogs to share to us lay and young people what it is like to be a consecrated servant of God in the 21st century. we are learning a lot from the blogs that we read and because of these we are appreciating and respecting your vocation more and more.

I’m glad too, but I do feel for the priest in question. The beauty he may have had in mind may well have been that which shines through from our souls, regardless of our facial features , and seeing that sort of radiance in peoples’ eyes and faces can indeed lift the spirits, especially when we know the person in question is a servant of God. I agree with all mjpss says too -the facets of beauty are many.

I’ve decided to start a contest of my own. No trophies. Have a visit.

aw shucks…i was just getting my photo ready to upload…just kidding…

seriously, i’m sure fr. had good intentions…i hope he learned something from this and that folks did not attack him personally….

I have to say I’m so glad this contest was cancelled as well! Pagents are bad enough for people who aren’t nuns!

I am glad it was cancelled. Besides the fact that I do not like the image of women that beauty contests give, the whole idea sounded phoney. I think a woman would create a much more positive way to promote a healthy image of sisters.